This Thing We Do: The Best Form
by freifraufischer
Summary: Romantic Snow Queen. Set post 3.05. After everything, Snow never thought she'd see her again, and perhaps after a horrible and wonderful day on Neverland she's found Regina again. But what does that mean for the anger and darkness that has driven them both into each others' arms? The fifth story in the This Thing We Do series.


It wasn't a drunken party. Even Regina would acknowledge that. For one thing there wasn't enough rum among the five of them to get anyone drunk. But still there was just about nothing in the celebrations after the pirate and David's return that Regina wanted to sit through. Not Snow's insufferable clinging to her husband. Not the expectant look on Hook's face towards Emma for his reward for allegedly saving David's life. Something Regina was certain didn't happen the way the two men claimed. Emma wasn't even her friend, much less her daughter, and she'd have turned Hook into a toad for the presumption alone.

Besides, she needed some time to herself.

They'd seen Henry, if only for a few minutes, and her heart was able to beat again. For the first time since she'd seen him be dragged through the portal she felt like maybe they'd get him back. The last thing she needed was her own dark mood ruining that little bit of hope.

So she'd made her excuses and told the others that they needed more fresh water. She'd insisted before anyone drank the water on the island that they let her at least filter it and remove any traces of the place's magic. There was something wild, untamed, neither good nor bad, but unpredictable about the magic of this place. And she didn't want them surprised because of something they'd stupidly eaten or drank.

She hated surprises. She found them threatening. She was sitting by a stream, filtering the water through cheese cloth from the _Jolly Roger_ and letting the magic drift from her fingers through the drip before entering the container.

"I don't think you knew it, but when I was a teenager I would sneak into your study and watch you do magic. Cora too when I was much younger."

"That was probably a good way to get dead." Regina responded casually without looking up. She couldn't very well tell Snow to leave her alone. They were all on this family camping trip from hell together. It vaguely reminded her of one of the King's interminable tours of the kingdom where he learned little but lots of people saw him wear his crown.

"I knew the castle better than either of you."

She didn't approach to closely, but stayed standing, her arms crossed. "I know I can't tell you to leave me alone. You've got your claws into me and my darkness, but do you really have to drag Emma down too?"

It was phrased like a question, but the accusation was clear. "I'm not doing anything to Emma."

"Regina, I've known you nearly all of my life. I've seen you seduce people. All those quiet conversations, the intense stares, standing much closer to each other than someone does in normal conversation... talking about making magic together..."

"We have Henry. If either of us wants to have him again we have to stop fighting." She sighed and put aside the water bottle she was working on. "And in case you didn't remember it there was this giant magic sucking diamond and lightening coming out of both our hands. Your daughter and I combined our magic to save everyone? Not everything is sexual, Snow."

Regina tilted her head to the side. "Except that's it isn't it?" It was the first real laugh Regina'd managed in days. Weeks maybe. "I'd say jealousy doesn't suit you Snow, but it very much does. Perhaps I should investigate that avenue. Like mother like daughter."

Snow balled her firsts, "If you lay a finger on her I will kill you."

"Snow, it never ceases to amaze me your capacity for blaming me for your own actions."

"You did this to me. Made me think these perverted things about you."

Regina looked at her with sad eyes. "I wish I had, Snow. Then maybe I could grant you some peace." She gave her a little smile. "I'm sure if we get out of all of this we can both fall back into our comfortable anger at each other. But I just can't manage it now. I know I'm the villain of the story. There is nothing I can do to change that now. But I have to save him. Everything else has to wait. Even hurting you."

The last came out strange even to Regina's ears, and seemed to hit Snow like a ton of bricks. The princess moved to sit on a rock not far from Regina but said nothing, so the queen picked up the water containers and resumed her work.

"The magic... what's it like. I'm afraid for Emma, and I don't even know what I'm talking about."

It almost felt like the first real question Snow had asked her in years. Decades? Before the curse at least. Maybe since the hilltop. _Haven't we both suffered enough?_ "I'm not sure I could describe it. It's like trying to describe color to a blind person. The magic is... all around us. It's like swimming in an ocean, where you can feel the currents and the shifts of energy."

"I knew a mermaid once who told me something like that about the ocean."

"Yes, well, she wasn't that bright, but the ocean was elemental to her."

Snow rolled her eyes. "And for Emma? Can she just... I don't know pretend she doesn't have it?"

Regina laughed. "I tried. I tried for so very long. If you lock it away, it's like denying a part of yourself, it will just express itself later in completely unhealthy ways."

Snow smiled. "Like spending ten years pretending you weren't a simmering pot of anger?"

"I wouldn't recommend that either." Regina said dryly.

"I don't want to feel angry all the time. I'm not supposed to. I'm ..."

"Snow White, the pure and happy noble hero."

"Fuck Regina, even I think that's too saccharine."

"Snow White knows how to curse." Regina said with a little smile.

"And you are still a bitch."

"Careful Snow, I can still wash your mouth out." Regina sighed and shook her head. "I can't tell you how to stop being angry. I've run on anger for so long I don't think there is anything of me left besides anger."

Snow tilted her head as if debating something in her mind. Or perhaps just staring at her like she used to do in court. Regina was sure when she was a young queen the princess used to watch her closely and try to mimic everything she did. Snow even became a half decent rider to impress her, Regina was certain, given how little love Snow actually had for horses.

"You shouldn't have taken the boy's heart Regina."

"I'll return it if we run into him again."

"Not what I mean."

"One big happy family, that's why I'm here."

"You said."

"It's true."

"It shouldn't be. You shouldn't have to take the darkness on for us."

"It's what I can do."

"You can do so much more."

"Oh, have we changed tactics now? From pleading to accusing to appealing to my non-existent better nature."

"I've always believed in your better nature."

"Don't lie, Snow, it doesn't suit you."

"You are right. I lost faith that I'd ever see my friend again. But maybe I was wrong."

Regina finished what she was doing with the water bottles and shook her head as she was standing up. "I'm not going to be one of your pity projects Snow."

"Good, because I don't pity you." Snow stood up at the same time, and took Regina's hand. Regina looked down at it trying to decide if she was going to light the princess on fire. She had threatened that last time. "You shouldn't have taken the boy's heart because we shouldn't ask you to do things we wouldn't do."

"You didn't ask."

"I didn't ask a lot of things I should have. Like I should have asked permission for this the first time, my queen." She leaned in and kissed Regina on the lips, this time softly and without the hunger and possession she had in the past. Regina broke the kiss, but not immediately and Snow tried to suck on her bottom lip a little longer.

"You are married, Snow. And I have a son..."

"And we'll find Henry. I was... I was mad at you because I wanted to be the one in control. I didn't expect you to end it."

"I didn't end it, I stopped it." She looked around, "Does this really look like the place to continue an illicit affair?"

"No I suppose not."

"Especially not with a smug teenager trying to get in our heads and expose our secrets."

"Especially true."

Regina reached up and ran her fingers through Snow's short cropped hair with gentleness she hadn't even known she was capable of anymore. Especially not with Snow. "You have a prince to go back to."

"And I have a queen in my arms."

"You'll have to let me go eventually."

"I haven't let you go since I was 10."

"And you are so much the better for it." Regina observed dryly.

"I am. I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world."

"Even a happy ending?"

"You are part of my happy ending, Regina. I'm sure of that."

"And if you aren't part of mine?"

"I'll just have to find some way to change your mind on that subject."

And they were kissing again, this time without the self conscious gentleness of the first.

But finally they disentangled themselves and Snow helped Regina carry some of the bottles of clear, and magically clean, water back to the camp. Emma looked like she was trying to look at anyone but Hook, and David and Hook kept exchanging glances with each other that made Regina wondering if Snow was not the only one having an illicit affair in the Charming household.

She'd have to talk to Snow about magical protection given whatever Hook might be carrying around.

"You two look surprisingly content." Emma said, eyeing them, "And alive."

"We weren't attacked while we got water." Regina dismissed.

"I mean you didn't kill each other."

"Come now, Emma. We are adults."

"Sometimes."

Regina rolled her eyes and Snow spoke up for the first time, "Emma, I think perhaps it would be best if you let Regina teach you how to control some of your magic."

"You do?" Both Regina and Emma looked at Snow as if she'd just announced her plan to abdicate the throne and become a professional rapper.

"You have it in you, you should learn how to use it." Snow nodded, as if the idea had just occurred to her. "And Regina may be a pain in the ass some time, but I remember her as a very good teacher."

"Of magic," Charming asked clearly alarmed that his wife hadn't talked to him about this first. "Not of magic, but she taught me a lot of things. Including how to ride a horse a lot better than you."

She teased her husband with a smirk, but gave a side long glance at Regina. "I trust her with this. And so should you."


End file.
